Weeks Bay Reserve

Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is part of a national network of coastal reserves established as living laboratories for long-term scientific research and estuarine education. The Reserve was designated in 1986 and is managed as a cooperative partnership between the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with additional support from the 500-member nonprofit Weeks Bay Foundation and volunteers.

Located along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, the Weeks Bay estuary, "where rivers meet the sea,” is an important site of scientific research on estuarine ecology and contains a variety of habitats which support a diverse and important assemblage of native plants and animals. The Reserve’s administrative offices are located in the Weeks Bay Reserve Interpretive Center. The Center also provides laboratories for ecological research and serves as a focal point for public visitation and educational programs. Please explore our website to learn more about research, education, and volunteer opportunities at Weeks Bay Reserve.

NERR Activities

Long-term research and monitoring of water quality, abundance and types of important plant and animal species, and overall health of the Weeks Bay watershed through the Research program.

The Weeks Bay Interpretive Center offers the public opportunities to learn about coastal habitats through its exhibits, live animal displays, and collections of animals and regional plants. Self-guiding nature trails wind through wetlands, marshes, forests and a pitcher plant bog.

Weeks Bay Interpretive Center is located on Hwy 98 between Fairhope and Foley, just west of the Fish River Bridge, in South Baldwin Co, AL